People (especially young people) are always on their mobile phones. It’s hard to interact with someone without hearing a buzzing of a text message, or hearing their phone ringing. How can you, as a business owner, take advantage of the new games, apps and social media platforms that are trending to benefit your business? Trust me, it’s easier said than done! Being able to relate with your customers on common ground really goes a long way. Plus, you have to act fast. If you start whipping and nae-nae’ing today you would be doing something that is soooooo 2015. Then you lose millennial respect. And no one wants that;).
Offer Discounts/Rewards for Being a User:
That sounds crazy, right? Why would you want to reward someone for using an app or game that has nothing to do with you? Here’s why! Chances are, a large number of your customers will be using these different tools to keep themselves entertained and in-the-loop. When you offer some sort of discount or reward for using these popular apps, you are inviting all of its users into your business. Someone who may have otherwise looked right past you, will now think, “I have that [app, game, social platform] on my device, so I can get that discount!” Just recently, I saw a local ice cream shop offering 10% off to anyone currently playing Pokemon Go, of course someone playing that game doesn’t have a direct benefit to this ice cream shop. However, now this ice cream shop has grabbed the attention of Pokemon Go’s millions of users, and what’s a better time to try ice cream than when you’re getting it for 10% off?
Relate Through Social Media
If there is a popular app, game or new story going around that your followers are interested in, why not try to relate to them that way? If you can make a joke, post an informational article or something along those lines on your social account, your fans will notice. People love to see that business owners are people, too. Believe it or not, they are more willing to work with you when they can see that you’re personable and maybe even have similar interests. Don’t be afraid to pull the attention away from your business for a moment on social media, and try to relate to your followers through a popular fad.
Become a User of the App
If the fad is an app or game, become a user! Know what you’re talking about when you mention it to your customers who are also fans. If you have a younger audience as your customer base, this is especially important for you. If you can relate to them through a language they understand (i.e: mobile phones, apps and games) you will be in a much better place!
Basically, you don’t need to be afraid to get involved with something popular that is exciting to your customer base. If you are able to find similarities, they are much more likely to remember you and use you again!
For more insights on marketing strategy that actually works for small business, subscribe to the FreshLime Newsletter here. Connect with Jay Bean, Founder of FreshLime and Small Business Marketing Expert on LinkedIn and Twitter. And last of all, if any of these tips have helped you or if you have anything to add please comment below. We’d love to hear from you!